


Career Choices and Zebras

by MeredithBrody



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-06
Updated: 2013-09-06
Packaged: 2017-12-25 20:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/957101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeredithBrody/pseuds/MeredithBrody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Henry tells Jonathan that he he wants to be a Safari Park Warden when he grows up he ends up explaining to Shran what a Zebra is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Career Choices and Zebras

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sokorra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sokorra/gifts).



> This little fic was inspired by a random thought while I was watching "Animal Park" in bed a few days ago. As I do with any silly headcanon I shared the idea with Sokorra and it grew from there. They may be more added to this, but for now this is all there is.

Long days seemed to be all Jonathan Archer had at the moment. If he wasn't dealing with the daily duties of being the ambassador to Andoria he was dealing with his fed-up-and-homesick wife. He knew Erika wanted to go back to Earth, and he had agreed that when is term was up they'd go back. That was still two years away, and they didn't make return trips often enough for her liking. Sometimes coming to work was the escape he needed. He loved his wife very much, and even though she was unhappy she stayed. He was mulling over what that could mean when he heard a little voice from the doorway and looked up. "Daddy?" He couldn't help but smile at the appearance of his 5 year old son. HC's age was what reminded Jon how much time had passed since they moved here. He'd been a toddler when Erika had brought them here,  now he was almost 6, and that terrified him more than it probably should have.  

"What are you doing in here Champ?" He grinned, opening his arms and letting him run at him. Catching him in a hug as he did. “You should be learning.”

"Mommy said you were here and I want to tell you that I want to work on a safari park when I'm big." HC bounced a little on Jon’s knee as he spoke, and all Jon could do was chuckle a little as his son’s sudden decision to change his career plan, for the second time in a week. This was similar to his most recent recurring choice that he was going to work with animals.

"A safari park?" He asked shaking his head and wrapping his arms around his son and laughed a little.

"Yeah, with all the big animals and I can use everything I learnt." HC made his stuffed toy dance in Jon’s nose then laughed at his father again. It was hard for Jon to keep feeling miserable when HC was doing his usual things. His son knew exactly how best to make him laugh, and maybe that was one of the best things.

"Which one the most?" He asked, not that he really needed to ask. His son had had the same favourite animal for more than a year,  the longest of any of his loves.

"Zebra." Henry answered and bounced again. Jon smiled to try and hide his wince. Henry was getting a little too big for all the bouncing he did, but it wasn't worth saying anything when that would be the end of his little children.

"Not the lions?" He teased with a giggle. Henry laughed as well and shouted in the response.

"No."

"Would you like me to leave, pinkskin." Came a voice from the door,  and both Jon and Henry jumped a little, Jon had forgotten he had arranged the meeting with Shran to discuss the issues that were happening in other parts of the Federation, and any possible intervention that might be needed by the Andorian fleet. He looked up and smiled at his friend before bouncing Henry again.

"There's no need,  Erika will come to get him in a few minutes I'm sure. HC is just telling me about the Zebra he wants to look after." He nodded to his son and saw Shran's knowing look. He remembered that Shran had recently become a father himself, so maybe he understood a little more how much time Jon had to dedicate to his family.

"What is a Zebra?" Shran asked, taking the seat across the table from the two of them and addressing the question to Henry.

"This is my Zebra that my uncle Trip gave me when I was a baby, he's called Ronnie." Henry handed the stuffed animal to Shran and sat back against Jon's chest a little more. Henry wasn't normally bothered by people, but sometimes he ended up being quite shy, especially when he was telling someone about something. "Zebra's are big and stripy and they can run away from lions and tigers really really fast."

"They sound like fascinating creatures." Shran smiled and handed the Zebra back across the table.

"You should come with us to Earth next time uncle Shran. I can take you to the safari park I want to work at when I'm big and show you the Zebras."

"We'll see, Henry we don't know when we're next going to Earth."

"Mommy was telling Aunty Veronica that it would have to be soon because otherwise she was going to go insane in the cold and murder you." Henry repeated as if it was factual, and he actually wasn't surprised at the idea that Erika would have said that to her best friend. He shook his head and smiled a little, making a mental note to bring up with Erika what she said when their children could hear her.

"Trust your mom to say that. We'll see." He replied again. Knowing that

"And you'll bring uncle Shran?"

"We'll see. I think I hear your mom."

"Jon have you seen HC?” Erika asked as she opened the door. As she looked up she shook her head, spotting her son on his fathers’ lap. She narrowed her eyes slightly but the smile grew.  “Oh, there you are. Come on,  it's time to talk to grandma. Hi Shran." She threw the last at the visitor in his office. He saw the grin on Shran’s face grow ever so slightly when he saw Erika, and Jon groaned pre-emptively. He didn’t have time for another Shran versus Erika sass fight, and if his mother was on the comm it was likely Erika didn’t either. She’d only have as long as Serena could keep her grandmother entertained.

"Erika, good to see you again." Shran replied with a nod, clearly realising that now was not the time either.

"Yeah,  yeah. Suck up." Erika teased and motioned to Henry again. This time Jon kissed his son on the cheek and slipped him down onto the floor.

"Bye daddy. You'll come do my bedtime story, right?"

"I'll be there buddy. Behave for your mother." He ordered as Henry set off for the doorway and Erika who was still waiting there smiling at them.

"I will." Henry called back as he ran off to where Erika was still stood at the door, he shared a quick look with his wife before she turned to follow their son. He couldn’t help but smile again as she left, she had always had a talent at telling him what she was thinking through a glance, and she wasn’t losing that ability with age. He was still smirking to himself when he heard Shran beside him, still watching after Henry and Erika as they left his office.

"He has a lot of spirit for one so young." He commented and Jon nodded.

"Same as Serena. They must get it from Erika. She's always been spirited. Anyway, you wanted something?" He asked with a smile. It was harder for him to take his mind off the family time he’d just enjoyed than he’d expected. Jon loved the fact that on days like today his children could find their way to his office. When he needed something to pick him up a story from Serena or one of HC's spontaneous career advice visits he was always left smiling by them. Now he was back to work, but he could take treasure from the conversation he'd just had with his little boy and that would keep him cheery.


End file.
